Method and apparatus for electron beam welding

Abstract

An method for electron beam welding including the step of preparing an appropriate number of vacuum chamber units. Each of the chamber units has opposite open ends and is provided with a first adaptor for accommodating an electron beam welding gun and a second adaptor for accommodating an evacuating device. The vacuum chamber units are connected in series to form one longer chamber. Workpieces to be welded to each other are put into the longer chamber. Then, the longer chamber is closed at the opposite outermost open ends by end closure members, and thereafter, electron beam welding is performed.

We claim: 
     
       1. Means for electron beam welding which includes vacuum chamber means comprising a primary chamber unit having at least one open end and provided with adaptor means for accommodating electron beam welding gun means and second adaptor means for accommodating evacuating means, at least one auxiliary chamber unit having opposite open ends, one of said open ends of the auxiliary chamber unit being adapted to be connected to the open end of the primary chamber unit to form a single chamber, closure means for closing the other end of the auxiliary chamber unit, means for lifting and turning the chamber unit, and means for introducing a workpiece into the thus turned chamber unit. 
     
     
       2. Means for electron beam welding which includes vacuum chamber means comprising a primary chamber unit having at least one open end and provided with adaptor means for accommodating electron beam welding gun means and second adaptor means for accommodating evacuating means, at least one auxiliary chamber unit having opposite open ends, one of said open ends of the auxiliary chamber unit being adapted to be connected to the open end of the primary chamber unit to form a single chamber, closure means for closing the other end of the auxiliary chamber unit, said chamber units being provided with rail means which are axially aligned when the units are connected together so as to allow carriage means to pass therealong with a workpiece mounted thereon, wherein said carriage means includes means for rotating the workpiece mounted thereon so that a welding line is continuously exposed to the electron beam from the welding gun means. 
     
     
       3. Method for electron beam welding comprising steps of providing a vacuum chamber by connecting an appropriate number of chamber units putting workpieces into the chamber, closing end openings of the chamber and performing electron beam welding on the workpieces, opening one of the end openings of the chamber, connecting a further chamber unit form a chamber of a longer size, introducing a further workpiece to the longer chamber, closing open end of the longer chamber and performing electron beam welding.